A boxing champ’s knockout was so scary on Saturday night that even the most avid fans of the sport found themselves hoping and praying for the fallen fighter’s recovery. Mexico’s Miguel Berchelt entered his main event bout as a big favorite and the WBC’s junior lightweight champion. But fellow Mexican star Oscar Valdez annihilated Berchelt with one of the scariest knockouts in boxing history.
If you missed Valdez’s epic one-punch KO, you can watch it below.
WHAT A KNOCKOUT 😱
Here’s another angle of the violent finish to the fight.
WHAT A KNOCKOUT 😯
@OscarValdez56 is the new WBC junior lightweight champion. #BercheltValdez
Valdez defeated Berchelt by 10th-round stoppage to grab gold at 130 pounds. But the 30-year-old also grabbed the single biggest win of his boxing career to date and the big future fights against other top stars that typically come after such victories.
Here’s another video of the KO taken from ringside.
After some scary moments ticked off the clock, Berchelt, 29, was eventually able to get up again and move around.
According to ESPN, Berchelt was immediately going to be transported to the UFC Trauma Center in Las Vegas for medical evaluation.
ESPN’s Brett Okamoto later reported Berchelt was doing okay after the loss and was due to be released.
Great news, Miguel Berchelt’s CT scan was clear tonight after the KO loss to Oscar Valdez. He will be released from the hospital later this evening.
‘Please Let This Man Be Okay’ And Other Reactions
Celebrity actress and boxing fan Rosie Perez expressed the full range of emotions watching the fight. Perez posted, “Omg. Berchelt is not moving. Dear Lord. Please let this man be okay. Please!”
Omg. Berchelt is not moving. Dear Lord. Please let this man be okay. Please! @espn @trboxing @ESPNRingside #BercheltValdez
Perez posted, “Berchelt is up! Thank goodness! I wish him a sound and well recovery.”
Berchelt is up! Thank goodness! I wish him a sound and well recovery. @espn @trboxing @ESPNRingside #BercheltValdez
ESPN’s Ariel Helwani had the same kind of real-time reaction to the massive KO.
He’s now sitting up.
SI’s Chirs Mannix was also watching the fight. Mannix posted, “Scary moments for Miguel Berchelt. That’s why you stop fights when a guy has taken the kind of punishment Berchelt had. This can happen.”
Scary moments for Miguel Berchelt. That’s why you stop fights when a guy has taken the kind of punishment Berchelt had. This can happen.
‘KO of the Year’ And Other Reactions
ESPN’s Max Kellerman also took notice. Kellerman posted, “Valdez’s boxing ability got him the lead, but his character got him the knockout; he never gave in to the momentum when Berchelt started to come on and impose his size. KO of the year so far. Hope Berchelt is ok.”
Valdez’ boxing ability got him the lead, but his character got him the knockout; he never gave into the momentum when Berchelt started to come on and impose his size. KO of the year so far. Hope Berchelt is ok.
WBO junior lightweight champion Jamel Herring was worried about Berchelt’s health after witnessing the KO. Herring posted, “Man, I was worried for a second when I did see Berchelt respond, but I’m glad he’s communicating.”
Man, I was worried for a second when I did see Berchelt respond, but I’m glad he’s communicating 🙏🏾
Boxing’s undisputed lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez was at the fight, and his reaction to the knockout was captured by the camera crew.
How many of you at home reacted to that KO like @TeofimoLopez did? #BercheltValdez
Next Fight Lined up for New 130-Pound Champ?
Yahoo’s Kevin Iole was ready to play matchmaker for the new WBC junior lightweight champion.
Iole posted, “Just spoke to @ShakurStevenson who said he was impressed by Valdez and said he was surprised. Asked if he wanted him next, Stevenson said, ‘Come on, there’s no other fight to make now.'”
Just spoke to @ShakurStevenson who said he was impressed by Valdez and said he was surprised. Asked if he wanted him next, Stevenson said, “Come on, there’s no other fight to make now.”
Stevenson followed that up with his own call to make the fight happen. Stevenson posted, “Congrats champ @oscarvaldez56 I respect what you did tonight surprised me…It’s only 1 FIGHT to make now!”.
Congrats champ @oscarvaldez56 I respect what you did tonight surprised me.. It’s only 1 FIGHT to make now!
Like Valdez, Stevenson is an undefeated former 126-pound champion now operating in boxing’s stacked 130-pound division.
Additionally, both fighters are promoted by Top Rank, so the fight would seem easy to make on paper.
Valdez joins Herring (WBO) and Gervonta Davis (WBA) as titleholders according to boxing’s four major sanctioning bodies. The IBF title is currently vacant.
Additionally, world championships according to The Ring and the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board remain unfilled.
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Boxing Champ’s Scary KO: ‘Please Let This Man Be Okay’ [WATCH]